Parents, son charged in Vadnais Heights school threat

The boy's father allegedly had several firearms, ammunition and explosive devices that were easily accessible, according to charges. His mother has also been charged.

Author:
KARE 11 Staff

Published:03/06/18

VADNAIS HEIGHTS, Minn. - Charges say the father of a teen who threatened to shoot up his school had a "significant number" of firearms, ammunition and possible explosive devices that were not properly stored and were easily accessible.

On March 1, Ramsey County deputies responded to a call from a student while at school who said a classmate, later identified as the 13-year-old suspect, said he was going to kill him and that he had a list of other students he was planning to kill, as well.

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A deputy responded to the school and officials advised him the student had been suspended for the threats he made. That deputy also learned that as the student was being removed from class, he said, "Hide in the closet when I come back, because I will start shooting then," according to the criminal complaint.

Authorities went to the teen's Vadnais Heights home and spoke with the student who said he didn't mean his threats and will never do it again. They also spoke with the student's mother who said the child did not have access to weapons and there were no weapons inside the home, according to the complaint.

Police executed a search warrant in the home on March 2, when the 13-year-old boy was home alone.

According to the charges, Christopher Stowe, 41, (the father of the boy) told police he had guns in the home but declined to comment without a lawyer present.

Law enforcement officials located several guns, ammunition and firearms parts. The St. Paul Bomb Squad was also called in to remove two possible explosive devices, according to the charges.

In addition, authorities found several trigger kits hidden in the ceiling that "appeared to be" conversion kits for converting weapons to automatic weapons.

There was also information found in the home on how to convert a semi-automatic weapon to a fully automatic weapon.

Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives identified one weapon that they said met the legal definition for a machine gun and another that met the legal definition of a short-barreled shotgun.

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Authorities say several of the firearms were loaded and located "out in the open" and accessible to children in the home.

Stowe made his first court appearance Monday afternoon in St. Paul. He was granted a conditional release. Christopher Stowe has no previous criminal record.

Lisa Stowe Ramsey County Sheriff's Office

On Monday, Stowe's wife (and the boy's mother), Lisa Stowe was charged with negligent storage of firearms. According to that complaint, officers executing a search warrant found a pistol hidden in a book in a nightstand and multiple pistols inside a dresser drawer of the master bedroom. All of the pistols were fully loaded.

The 13-year-old boy has been charged with threats of violence. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance Monday.